Secondary Feature

Whenever I think about the annual search for a perfect Christmas tree, the image from Christmas Vacation of the Griswold family heading out into the country in their station wagon, while Clark and Ellen sing Christmas carols, always comes to mind. Clark says, “We’re kicking off our fun old-fashioned family Christmas by heading out into […]

Cheri White, general manager of Illinois-based Cooperative Balloon Associates, LLC (CBA), won the U.S. Women’s National Hot Air Balloon Championship title during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, NM in October. White, who hails from Austin, Tex., has held the title since she won the first national women’s championship 17 years ago. White is […]

Southern Illinois Power Cooperative (SIPC) has truly turned lemons into lemonade. Under EPA regulations, SIPC is required to reduce the sulfur dioxide emissions that come from burning Illinois coal for electricity generation. The generation and transmission cooperative decided to go the extra mile and install equipment that would take the unwanted SO2 gas and turn […]

The first life-changing call Jared Bullock answered was the call of his nation following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It was then that he and his twin brother decided to enlist in the Army, a plan they fulfilled just two years later. This path would lead to other callings. He answered another life-changing […]

Next month, Americans will go to the polls and cast votes for a president, 34 senators, 435 members of Congress, 12 governors, 5,920 state legislators and countless other local races. While the presidential race is at the top of most voters’ minds, it is the state and local races that have a more direct and […]

Eagles, bulldogs and tigers are the three most common high school mascots in the United States. Each sound equally strong. But not all high school mascots in Illinois sound quite as intimidating. Just as you’ve likely heard, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” so it can be said about each anomalous mascot. Many come […]

While the name Popeye is known throughout the world, the same is not true for the name Elzie Segar, the man who inked the comic strip of the muscle-bound, spinach-eating sailor. It is also unlikely you know Segar was born in 1894 and raised in Chester, allowing the small southwestern Illinois town the right to […]

Every homeowner that uses a septic system for wastewater treatment should clean their septic tank every one to three years. This type of maintenance must be done to remove scum and sludge that builds up in the tank. If this material builds up too much, it will plug up the drainage field lines, creating a […]

Coal generated more than half the nation’s electricity as recently as 10 years ago, but that share has fallen to one-third. The decline of coal generation will continue as new environmental rules are set in place and prices for natural gas remain relatively low. So it’s curtains for coal, right? Not so fast. The Environmental […]